Exports of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea can begin today (1st), a spokesman for the Turkish presidential office said.
According to foreign media such as Reuters and TAS, Ibrahim Kalin Turkiye, a spokesman for the presidential office, said on the 31st of last month, "If the coordination of details is completed by tomorrow, there is a high probability that the first ship will depart tomorrow." said in a local TV interview.
He also said, "We will soon be able to finish the final work on a safe route at the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul." added.
Previously, Ukraine, Russia, the United Nations and Turkiye agreed to reopen grain export routes blocked by the Black Sea blockade after the Russian invasion.
Accordingly, on the 28th, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) was established in Istanbul, Turkey to ensure the safety of the routes and to oversee related procedures, raising expectations that Ukrainian grains will be supplied to the world market again in the near future.
Ukraine has finished shipping grain and has said it is waiting for the first signal to depart from the United Nations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that he is concerned that Ukraine's grain harvest this year will be only about half of that of a normal year.
President Zelensky tweeted:
Since the Russian invasion in February of this year, Ukraine has been struggling with grain cultivation, with wheat fields being bombarded and burning.
There are also concerns that the actual export volume will not meet market expectations even if grain exports are resumed due to the circumstances of Ukrainian ports.
(Photo = Getty Images Korea)